Structures given 'select' classification will receive priority for funding, repairs.
"
Someone once described bridges as America's cathedrals.
Cathedrals and bridges both combine form and function in ways that often are quite elegant. An example of that is the recently restored Jefferson Boulevard bridge in downtown South Bend.
Older bridges, like older cathedrals, play important roles in bringing communities together. Both are worthy of preservation as historic structures. Indiana now is in the early stages of a project to ensure that its historic bridges are preserved and maintained for future generations.
Involved in the effort are the Indiana Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Indiana State Historic Preservation Office.
Last year, M&H Architecture Inc., a Mead & Hunt company, did a study of Indiana's historic bridges, which it defined as those built before 1965 on public roads or rights of way.
It found 6,333 of them, even after eliminating railroad bridges, private bridges, interstate highway bridges and those for which InDOT does not have primary maintenance responsibility (i.e. border bridges maintained by another state or a federal agency).
Megan Kaderavek, a spokeswoman for InDOT, said the bridge project aims to preserve an important part of the state history and streamline the process for getting needed work done to repair or replace a bridge.
The state now is wrapping up a series of public meetings designed both to give information about historic bridges and to receive information about those that might be overlooked. The final meeting is planned next week in South Bend.
All of the data then will be compiled for field work to begin in May, Kaderavek said. Each of the 6,333 bridges will be visited by a contractor hired by InDOT, she said. The contractor will evaluate each bridge for its historic value, uniqueness, structural soundness and safety.
Then the bridges will be prioritized as "select'' or "nonselect,'' she said.
The select bridges will be excellent examples of their type in Indiana, and worthy of preservation. Kaderavek said the researchers will be looking for more than just covered bridges. They also will be looking for examples of bridges that aren't being built any more, such as steel truss bridges.
Preserving an important part of the state's history is a goal, she said. Select bridges must be preserved. "
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Directory of cultural resource and historic preservation firms.
Gray & Pape, Inc. Archaeology**History**Historic Preservation
Serving your cultural resources needs since 1987.
Ohio -
11-03-11
New South Associates, Inc. New South Associates is a women-owned small business providing cultural resource management services, both nationally and internationally. Our specialities include archaeology, history, architectural history, preservation planning, and public interpretati
Georgia -
03-25-11
Kerns CRM Consultants Cultural and Historical Resource Management Services
Maryland -
01-10-11
Paula S. Reed and Associates, Inc. Paula S. Reed and Associates, Inc. is a small, woman-owned corporation organized in the State of Maryland, which provides cultural resource evaluation on a nation-wide basis, specializing in National Historic Landmark nominations. We meet qualifications o
Maryland -
11-23-10
SWCA Environmental Consultants Acquires Northwest Archaeological Associates SWCA Environmental Consultants has acquired Northwest Archaeological Associates, expanding SWCA's Pacific Northwest presence with a new Seattle office offering cultural and natural resource management and environmental permitting and compliance consulting.
04-04-11
ACHP Section 106 Essentials two-day course which explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
02-02-11
